The Trouble With Chickens
by Dragon's Ember
Summary: Nosedive's new pet may be more trouble than he's worth.
1. Meet Ollie

Nosedive peeked around the corner of the hall. The path to his room was clear. Good. His vest was balled up and tucked under his arm. He hurried to his room, trying not to jostle it too much. He was just about to put in the passcode when the doors to Mallory's room opened. She and Duke came out, arguing about something. Nosedive froze.

"Come on, I totally won," Mallory was saying.

"I still think I'm better. Just a little bit," Duke said. "Hey, kid."

Nosedive put on his best innocent smile, which wasn't very convincing. "Hey, guys."

"You can have your karaoke machine back now," said Mallory.

"Oh, okay," Nosedive replied casually. "Uh, so which one of you is the better singer?"

"I am," they said together. Then they glared at each other.

"Uh, okay. Well, you guys can keep the karaoke machine as long as you want. I don't need it right now." Nosedive quickly entered the passcode and the doors opened.

"What's in your vest?" Duke asked suddenly.

"Nothing," Nosedive answered, probably too quickly. "I just spilled soda on it. And I need to wash it now, so if you'll excuse me..." He went into his room, the doors closed, and he sighed in relief.

"Well, that's not suspicious at all," Duke said sarcastically.

"Yeah..." Mallory paused. "So, karaoke rematch?"

"Yep."

* * *

Hours later, at which point no one had seen hair nor feather of Nosedive, Duke was napping on the couch in the rec room. He was woken from his peaceful slumber by something tapping his eyepatch. He opened his good eye, saw a white ball of fluff with a beak standing on his chest, then tumbled off the couch in surprise. He looked up in time to see a very fluffy chicken running toward the doors, clucking wildly. Now thoroughly confused, Duke chased after it, but it ended up disappearing in the corridors.

It was Wildwing who found it. Or rather, the chicken scurried past Wildwing, and Wildwing just stared at it. Then Duke suddenly came running around the corner.

"Do you see the chicken?" Wildwing asked him.

"Is that what that is?" Duke said, panting. The chicken continued on its way, observing the strange, metallic environment.

"How did it get in here?" said Wildwing.

"I have an idea about that," Duke replied. "But let's catch it first."

They followed the chicken, who apparently had no intention of being captured. It led them through the corridors, flapping and squawking, and every time they came close it managed to dodge them. This continued on for some time until they eventually passed Mallory, who watched them in bewilderment.

"What the– Chicken?" she said, running after them. "Why is there a chicken in here?"

"Take a wild guess," Duke responded.

"Nosedive," Mallory muttered.

The three ducks continued their pursuit. After being chased for a solid five minutes, the chicken ended up running into Tanya's lab. It stopped in front of a very confused Tanya and clucked at her. The other ducks stopped in the doorway.

"Uh, is that a chicken?" said Tanya.

"Can you grab it?" said Wildwing.

Tanya squatted down. The chicken backed up but didn't run, and Tanya gently picked it up. "What is going on here?" she asked them, cradling the little bird in her arms.

"I think we should ask Nosedive," said Duke.

The four ducks, with the chicken in tow, found Nosedive in the mess hall. He was sitting at the table with Grin, munching on a sandwich.

"He's Bernie the _Bear_ ," Nosedive was saying. "It's in his name!"

"Bears do not wear suits," Grin replied.

Nosedive was about to respond, but an indignant 'Ahem' from Wildwing turned his attention to his glaring teammates and the chicken Tanya was holding. Nosedive dropped his sandwich and said nothing.

"What's with the chicken?" Grin asked simply.

"Dive?" said Wildwing.

Nosedive got up. "Okay, this is Ollie..." he said slowly, taking the chicken into his arms.

"Nosedive, I told you we can't keep animals in here," Wildwing said. He wasn't angry. In truth, he had expected Nosedive to sneak a pet in sooner or later, but he hadn't expected it to be a chicken.

"I know," said Nosedive, stroking Ollie's fluffy head. "But the guy at the pet store couldn't get anyone to take him and he was just gonna get rid of him, so... I couldn't help it." He was quiet for a moment and looked at the floor. "I was just gonna take care of him until I found him a good home."

Ollie chirred and nuzzled Nosedive's feathers. Wildwing sighed. Curse his brother's tender heart and that adorable chicken.

"Okay," he said. Nosedive looked up. "You can keep him until you find him a home."

Nosedive grinned and held Ollie up to his face. "You hear that, buddy? Uncle Wildwing is letting you stay. Yes, he is."

"But you really have to try to find him a home," said Wildwing. "Soon."

"I know," said Nosedive.

"And he has to stay in your room."

"Well, yeah."

"'Cause we just had a heck of a time catchin' him," said Duke.

"What? How did he get out?"

"I don't know," said Wildwing. "It doesn't matter. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

"I will. Don't worry." Ollie clucked in contentment as Nosedive scratched his back. "Oh, you like that? Who's my little buddy-boy? You are. Yeah."

"Hey, uh, he is a chicken, right?" Duke asked, noting Ollie's gray, five-toed feet.

"Yeah," said Nosedive. "He's called a silkie."

"'Course he is."

"Well, I'm gonna go put him back." Nosedive started for the doors, turned back to pick up his sandwich, then ate it as he left. "What were you doing running around the Pond, you crazy fluff ball?" he said to Ollie. "Did you get lonely? Want some sandwich?"

Once he was out of hearing range, Mallory voiced what everyone was thinking. "So we're just letting him have a chicken."

"Temporarily," said Wildwing.

"Do you remember what happened last time Nosedive had a 'pet'?"

"Well, unless Ollie is a mutant chicken from outer space, I think we'll be fine."

* * *

The rest of the day passed without incident. But early the next morning, Nosedive was startled awake by a peculiar and obscenely loud crowing sound. With his heart pounding, he peered down at Ollie. He had made him a temporary living space under his bed, consisting mostly of a box turned on its side and lined with towels. Ollie had been sleeping in it when Nosedive went to bed, but now he was standing on it with his neck stretched out and his hackles raised.

"What are you doing, buddy?" Nosedive said. Ollie looked up at him and clucked softly. Nosedive watched him for a minute, but nothing happened. Then, just when he was beginning to think he had imagined it, Ollie gave a garbled (but still extremely loud) crow, and Nosedive mentally slapped himself. _Roosters crow,_ he thought. _Duh! How did I forget about that?_ _Wait, but aren't they only supposed to crow at dawn?_

He looked at the clock. It was six in the morning. So the sun would just be coming up, but Ollie didn't know that, right? He couldn't know that. They were underground and only the dim emergency lights were on. All the same, Nosedive climbed down from his bed, put Ollie back in his box and started petting him. The last thing he needed was his 'buddy-boy' waking up his already peeved teammates.

"Go to sleep, Ollie," Nosedive said quietly. Once Ollie laid down, Nosedive got back into bed and waited. All was quiet. Satisfied, he closed his eyes...

Then there was another crow.

Nosedive sat up with a shriek. He half-climbed, half-fell back onto the floor (a drawback of having an elevated bed with no ladder) and stared down the stubborn rooster. He was still in his box, but standing up proud and tall.

"Ollie, shh!" Nosedive said. Then he tried and failed to stifle the crow that erupted from the little beak. "Shh! Okay, that's it." So he picked up the ball of fluff, climbed back into bed, and made himself comfortable with Ollie in the crook of his arm. Ollie immediately nestled down and started chirring. Nosedive stroked him absently and yawned. "There. Finally," he murmured. "Good night, Ollie."

It wasn't long, however, before Ollie gingerly made his way to Nosedive's head and planted himself right on his face. Then he tucked his head behind his wing and went to sleep. Nosedive sighed. "Whatever keeps you quiet, you crazy bird."

And that was how Nosedive slept. Yes, there was a chicken on his face, but it was a quiet chicken.


	2. The Chase

Later that day, after sitting through a medley of complaints about Ollie's crowing, Nosedive returned to his room. He was wondering how he was going to find Ollie a home, preferably soon, although he was already attached to him. "It's not like I have to rush," he told himself. "As long as he's quiet, he's not really a problem."

But he knew Ollie was bored. He mostly wandered around, pecking and scratching at the metal floor without satisfaction. And while he seemed to enjoy air hockey as much as a chicken could, Nosedive knew the Pond was no place for him.

"Ollie, I'm back," Nosedive said. When he received no cluck in response, he looked in the box. Ollie wasn't there. Puzzled, he began searching his room. "Hey, Ollie," he called. "Come on out, buddy."

But Ollie was nowhere to be found. After Nosedive searched every possible hiding place, he ran out into the hall and looked around, but there was no chicken in sight.

"Oh, come on."

He began searching the Pond. He started with the rec room, where a quick scan revealed no chicken, but Duke had resumed yesterday's nap on the couch.

"Duke!" Nosedive yelled. Duke yelped and fell off the couch. Again.

"Okay," he groaned, "we gotta put some carpet in here or somethin'."

"I can't find Ollie," said Nosedive. Duke got up, holding his now-aching head.

"How hard is it to keep him in your room, kid?"

"I don't know how he does it. He's like a Houdini chicken. Will you just help me look for him?"

Duke sighed in annoyance. So far, he wasn't very fond of the rooster who kept interrupting his sleep.

"Please?" Nosedive tried.

"Okay, fine," said Duke. "Let's split up."

* * *

Grin stood in Tanya's lab. A piece of armor made of some unknown material was strapped to his chest and Tanya had her puck launcher aimed at him.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Grin asked.

"Uh, yeah," Tanya replied. "This armor should be even stronger than Wildwing's."

"Uh, 'should be'?" said Wildwing, who was supervising for obvious reasons.

"Well, we won't know until we test it."

"But why do I have to wear it for you to test it?" said Grin.

"Oh, hold still. They're just pucks," Tanya responded. Before she could fire, though, Duke entered and scanned the lab, paying no mind to his teammates.

"Hey, Duke," said Wildwing.

"Hey," he replied absently.

"Are you looking for something?" Wildwing asked him. Duke decided it was probably a good time to avoid the truth.

"Uh, have ya seen Mallory?"

"Not for a while."

"Okay."

Seeing no signs of an AWOL chicken, Duke left and continued jogging through the halls. He rounded a corner and stopped just before he crashed into Mallory, who jumped back in surprise.

"What are you doing?" she said.

"Lookin' for Nosedive," Duke answered, and Mallory gave him the look she always gave him when he lied. Duke rolled his eye. "Lookin' for Nosedive's crackpot chicken."

"Again?"

"Yep, and you're helpin' me."

"Oh, no, I'm not chasing that thing again."

"No chasin', just lookin'. Come on, sweetheart."

Before she could protest again, he started off, pulling her along with him. Mallory grumbled under her breath, but followed him anyway.

It was some time later when Nosedive met them in a corridor.

"Did you find him?" he asked.

"Does it look like it?" Duke replied.

"How can you lose a chicken – twice?" Mallory said. Nosedive was about to say something defensive, then Mallory's unexplained presence suddenly registered.

"Why are _you_ looking for Ollie?" he asked.

"Because I'm awesome," she said flatly, glaring at him.

"Do you have _any_ idea where he might be?" said Duke.

"Well, he's gotta be somewhere on this level, right?" said Nosedive. "I mean, he can't work the elevators... I don't think."

"We must've missed him, then."

"How? We looked everywhere."

Then a crow sounded above them. They looked up, and realization suddenly dawned on them. They were under an air vent.

"No way," said Mallory.

Another crow came from the vent. Nosedive pulled his hair in frustration and amazement. "How...?"

After locating the nearest vent within climbing height, Mallory got on Duke's shoulders and pulled the grate off. Then she hoisted herself in with some difficulty, kicking Duke's head in the process.

"Watch it, Mal!" he snapped.

"I'm not exactly tall, you know," she snapped back.

"Well, neither am I," said Duke, "and I don't get a boost up." He helped Nosedive up, then jumped up himself with all the skill of an ex-thief and crawled behind him. Once they reached the central passage, they stood up and looked around.

"Anyone else getting déjà vu?" Mallory said with a pointed glare at Nosedive.

"Hey, at least it's not a space monster this time," he replied evenly.

"How in the heck did he even get in here?" said Duke.

"He's a magic chicken," said Nosedive. "That's what _I'm_ goin' with."

"And how are we supposed to find him?" said Mallory. "I'm not gonna spend all day crawling through air ducts for a chicken."

Then, as if in answer, there was a crow from somewhere down the passage.

"I say we start that way," said Nosedive.

* * *

Back in Tanya's lab, Grin was wearing Wildwing's goalie gear underneath Tanya's armor and a helmet for good measure.

"Are you ready now?" Tanya said impatiently. Grin shut his eyes and braced himself.

"Go ahead."

Then a crow emanated from somewhere near the ceiling, followed by a faint voice that sounded a lot like Nosedive's. Wildwing and Tanya looked at each other, then at the air vent. Grin kept his eyes shut, but stated simply, "I hear a chicken."

At that moment, up in the maze of air ducts, Nosedive was calling for Ollie. He would respond with a crow now and then, but with the innumerable shafts branching from the main passage, it was impossible to tell exactly where he was. In fact, he seemed to be getting further away.

"Ollie!" Nosedive shouted again. Then his comm beeped. He flipped it open and Wildwing's face appeared on the screen. "What's up, bro?" Nosedive said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Where's Ollie, Dive?" Wildwing asked bluntly.

"Uh, in my room," Nosedive replied.

"And where are you?"

"In my room."

Wildwing didn't sound convinced. "Uh-huh..."

"Ollie's in the air ducts and so are we," Mallory cut in.

"Mallory!"

"How did he get in the air ducts?" Wildwing exclaimed.

"He's a magic chicken, okay?" Nosedive said, now thoroughly exasperated.

"All right," said Wildwing, "do you have a general idea of where he is?"

"Does 'in the air ducts' count?"

"I'll take that as a no. Did you try finding him on the security cameras?"

The three ducks in the ducts paused, and Nosedive shot a look at Duke. "Why didn't _you_ think of that?"

"Shut up."

"Duke's up there, too?" said Wildwing.

"Unfortunately," Duke replied. "Can ya find Ollie on the cameras and tell us where to go?"

"Give me a minute."

Wildwing faded out, and the three ducks were left to ponder their strange and irritating situation.

"So we climbed in here–" Mallory started, but Nosedive interrupted her.

"Don't start. I had to sleep with a chicken on my face and I am _not_ happy right now!"

Wildwing pulled the security footage from the ventilation system up on Drake One. Nosedive, Mallory and Duke appeared on one screen. A fluffy rooster's face appeared on another, as Ollie was intrigued by one of the cameras and was pecking at the lens. Reluctantly amused by this, Wildwing opened his comm. "I found him, Dive."

"Where is he?"

"He's in one of the east shafts."

"Okay." Nosedive paused. "Which way is that?"

"Just go forward," said Wildwing. "I'll walk you through it."

So they did, and Wildwing followed them on Drake One.

"Okay, turn right," he said when they reached a fork in the passage.

"Got it," said Nosedive.

"Now turn left. Left again. Take the third passage on the right. He should be in the first shaft on your left. No, right. First shaft on the right."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's the right."

Once they reached the shaft, Nosedive peered in. "Ollie," he called. "Are you in there?"

A faint cluck echoed back.

"Come on, buddy. Come this way."

There was some clucking and shuffling, then nothing.

"Ollie?"

"Uh, he's going the other way, Dive," said Wildwing.

"What? Ollie! Get back here!"

"Just get in there and grab him," Duke said. Nosedive sighed and crawled into the narrow duct.

"Here, Ollie," he cooed. "Here, chicken, chicken, chicken."

"Our lives are weird," Mallory remarked as he disappeared.

"Ya think?" Duke replied.

Nosedive crawled along until he came to a branch in the shafts. Some curious clucking prompted him to go left. It didn't take him long to spot Ollie meandering on a few yards ahead. "Ollie," Nosedive panted. Ollie stopped, looked back and clucked inquisitively as Nosedive approached.

"Did you find him?" Wildwing asked suddenly. Startled, Nosedive banged his head on the top of the duct, then remembered his comm was still open.

"Yeah, I got him," he said. "Thanks, bro." He closed his comm and made his way toward Ollie. But as he did, Ollie continued walking down the duct. "Hey, come back here," said Nosedive. He quickened his pace, and so did Ollie. "Stop, you little nugget."

But Ollie didn't stop, not until he came to the opening of a shaft that plummeted straight down. Nosedive stopped a few feet back. "Ollie, turn around, buddy," he said as Ollie looked down the shaft. "Come on. Come to _Papi_."

Ollie crouched on the edge of the shaft and clucked curiously.

"Don't even think about it. Oliver Flashblade, you come here right now."

Ollie didn't move, and Nosedive inched forward as quietly as possible. But just when he was almost close enough to grab him, Ollie turned around, walked past Nosedive and started heading back in the other direction.

"Oh, boy," Nosedive sighed, relieved. Then, with some clever and somewhat painful maneuvering, he turned around in the cramped duct and followed Ollie out.

"Welcome back, mother hen," Duke said when they reached the central passage. Ignoring him, Nosedive stood up, stretched his aching limbs, and picked up the wayward fluff ball.

"Okay," he said, "let's get outta here." He started forward, stopped, turned a few times and looked around uncertainly. Duke just rolled his eye and started down the passage.

"Follow me."


	3. Good-bye

Upon returning to his room, Nosedive placed Ollie in his box and, still baffled about his escape, glanced at the air vent. No, he couldn't have gotten out that way, not unless he had flown up to the ceiling with a welding torch.

"How did you do it?" Nosedive asked Ollie. The chicken just cocked his head and clucked at him. Nosedive headed for the doors. He looked back to make sure Ollie stayed put, then went out into the hall. Duke, Mallory, and Wildwing were waiting for him.

"Well, I owe you guys," he said.

"Yes, you do," Mallory replied.

"I still have no idea how he got out, though. There's no way he got into _my_ vent, so–"

"Uh, Dive?" Wildwing broke in, but Nosedive ignored him.

"I wonder if he can fly high enough to open the door... Nah, he's not _that_ smart."

"Nosedive," said Mallory.

"Is there some secret passage in my room that I don't know about? 'Cause that would be–"

" _Nosedive_ ," Duke interrupted.

"What?"

"Are you sure he's not just sneakin' out when you leave your room?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm not blind, Duke." Then there was a cluck at his feet and Nosedive looked down to see Ollie staring up at him. He looked at the closed doors, then back at Ollie, then at the doors again. "Okay, so maybe he's just sneaky," he said. "But that still doesn't explain how he got in the air ducts."

"I'll look into that," said Duke. "You just work on keepin' him in your room."

"And do you have any ideas about finding him a home?" Wildwing asked.

"I was gonna make fliers," said Nosedive, "put 'em up around town."

"That should work."

"So you'll help me?"

Wildwing sighed. "Yeah, sure. After I make sure Grin's still in one piece. And after you catch that." He pointed down the hall where Ollie was now striding off, and Nosedive took off after him.

* * *

Going around Anaheim and putting up fliers was a simple task. It was a strange task, putting up fliers that stated a rooster needed a home, but it was simple nonetheless. Wildwing took to the logical places, such as the pet store. Nosedive handled the less logical places, like Captain Comics and Wiener World, the latter of which Wildwing met him at after running out of fliers.

"Are you done?" Wildwing asked him.

"Yep," Nosedive replied. "Fliers up everywhere."

Wildwing took note of the new comic book and three hot dogs he was carrying, one of which he was already eating. "Did you put one in Wiener World?" he asked, amused.

"Hey, you never know," said Nosedive. "And they're havin' a three-for-one deal, so here's a hot dog."

"I spend an hour putting up fliers, and this is all I get?"

"Do you _want_ a soda?"

Wildwing laughed. "I'm kidding, bro. Come on, we should head back."

"Yeah, Ollie's probably wandering the streets by now."

"That wouldn't surprise me."

* * *

When they returned to the Pond, however, Ollie was still in Nosedive's room. With the day's work done, Nosedive settled on his couch with his new comic book, and Ollie perched on his shoulder and stared at the colorful pictures.

"That's Zontar," Nosedive explained. "He fights this weird goblin dude who wants to take over the world. And those are some other weird goblins who–"

His narrative was interrupted by his door buzzer. In response, Ollie squawked very loudly at the doors, which nearly made Nosedive throw his comic in the air. "Come in!" he shouted, and Wildwing entered. "What's up, Wing?" Nosedive said, continuing to read silently. Wildwing sat down on the couch and Ollie warbled a greeting – or maybe it was a threat. Either way, Wildwing moved over a little.

"Well, Duke found out how Ollie got in the ducts," he said. Nosedive looked up from his comic.

"How?"

"Through the damaged vent in the gym," Wildwing said with a hint of reproach. Nosedive looked sheepish.

"The one I blasted with the puck cannon last week?"

"Yeah, that one, which you were supposed to fix."

"Right. First thing tomorrow, cross my feathers. I really do owe you, though."

"No, you don't."

"But you helped me find Ollie and put up fliers, and I didn't even have to talk you into letting me keep him for a while."

"He makes you happy, Dive." Wildwing paused, reminiscing on times past. "You know, you always had pets back home. And after that whole thing with Baby–"

"Yeah, he makes Ollie seem like a walk in the park, doesn't he?"

"My point is, you don't owe us anything. I'm glad you have Ollie, even if it's just for a short time. Honestly, I only want you to find him a home for his sake, not ours."

Nosedive closed his comic book and carelessly dropped it on the floor. "Have I ever told you you're a good brother?"

"A few times, yeah."

A random squawk from Ollie made them both chuckle. Then Nosedive's smile faded and he sighed. "I'm sure gonna miss him," he said, stroking Ollie's chest. Ollie nuzzled his hand in return. Then he hopped off his shoulder and sat on Wildwing's lap, chirring. Wildwing stroked him gently, and a hint of a smile returned to Nosedive's face.

"I think I'll just give my karaoke machine to Duke and Mallory, by the way," he said, changing the subject, "since they like it and I dragged 'em all over looking for fluff-face here."

"Oh, thank goodness," Wildwing said, more to himself than Nosedive, who looked at him oddly. "Uh, well, then I won't be tempted by it every time I come in here," he added quickly. It was a straight-up lie, but he wasn't going to tell Nosedive that his karaoke actually drove him crazy.

"Well, _you_ can have it if you want," Nosedive said.

"No, no, give it to them," said Wildwing. "Please."

"They're actually pretty good, you know."

"Better than us."

"Well... yeah."

"Uh, one more thing. The crowing?"

"I know, I know. I'm gonna try something tonight."

"Okay." Wildwing didn't sound particularly reassured.

"And if it doesn't work," Nosedive added, "I'll put him in the infirmary at night so we can't hear him."

"That's a good idea."

"See? I got everything under control."

Then Ollie marched back to Nosedive and proceeded to perch on his head. Wildwing tried not to laugh as the rooster nuzzled around in the golden locks.

"Uh..."

"He does this. He likes my hair."

* * *

That night, on something of a wild guess, Nosedive shut Ollie in the closet with his box. No sound came from him until Nosedive got up in the morning and opened the closet. Then Ollie simply woke up, clucked a greeting and started wandering around, but he didn't crow. With that problem solved, Nosedive promptly fixed the vent in the gym so the previous day's fiasco couldn't be repeated. He spent the rest of the day watching Ollie and realized that he did indeed follow him around, so quietly that Nosedive almost believed he _was_ a magic chicken. But he didn't escape again.

As the two were engaged in game of air hockey that evening, Nosedive's comm beeped.

"Phone call, Nosedive," Wildwing told him. Nosedive's good mood vanished. He knew what that call was about. He wasn't eager to take it, but he went anyway.

"Comin'," he replied. "Good game, Ollie."

Ollie simply continued to bat the puck around with his beak.

It wasn't long after when Nosedive entered the rec room, carrying Ollie under his arm and looking a little glum. His teammates were watching TV. No one objected when he sat down and put Ollie on his lap.

"Well?" said Wildwing.

"A guy from a farm called," Nosedive said quietly. "He said he'd take Ollie."

"That's great."

"Yeah. He sounded really nice. He lives right outside town, so I'm gonna take Ollie out there tomorrow." Nosedive kept his gaze on Ollie, stroking him as he fell asleep on his lap. In a rare moment of open sympathy, Mallory put her hand on his shoulder.

"He'll be really happy on a farm, Nosedive," she said.

"Yeah, no better place for him," said Duke. Nosedive nodded slightly, but didn't look up.

"You're okay, right?" said Wildwing.

"I never planned on keeping him," Nosedive answered. "Just wish I could."

"If it's any consolation, I'll miss him, too," said Duke. Nosedive looked at him in disbelief, and he just shrugged. "He grows on ya."

"He _is_ pretty cute," said Mallory. As if hearing her, Ollie woke up, gave her a garbled growl, then tucked his head back behind his wing. "Sometimes."

"I'll go with you tomorrow if you want," Wildwing offered.

"Thanks, bro," said Nosedive. "You should. I can't wait to see this guy's face when two ducks show up with his chicken."

Duke chuckled. "You didn't tell him who you were?"

A little smirk appeared on Nosedive's beak. "Nah, I thought I'd surprise him."

"Well, this should be interesting," said Wildwing. Then he turned to Tanya. "So, Tanya, how's the armor coming?"

"It's not as great as I hoped, but it's a work in progress," she said. "Grin was fine either way. Right, Grin?"

Grin glared at her out of the corner of his eye. "Mm-hmm."

"Well, keep working on it," said Wildwing. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." He gave Nosedive one last questioning look, and Nosedive managed a smile.

"I'm fine, Wing. Seriously."

* * *

The next day Wildwing and Nosedive took Ollie to the farm. It was a perfectly ordinary farm, complete with an old two-story house, a barn, and several acres of open land. The man Nosedive had spoken to was a young farmer in his thirties. He was more than a little shocked to meet them, as was his wife, but being hockey fans, they immediately recognized and welcomed them. Their children, a boy and girl, were thrilled beyond belief and asked for autographs, which the ducks happily gave. Nosedive handed Ollie to the boy, who looked to be around six, and told him that he liked air hockey and comic books.

When the time came to say good-bye, they all promised to take good care of Ollie and invited Nosedive to visit any time he liked. Nosedive gave Ollie one last squeeze and the fluffy chicken nuzzled him happily. Then the two ducks returned to the Migrator.

"You good?" Wildwing asked as they drove back to Anaheim.

"Yeah, I guess," said Nosedive. "He'll be happy there, right?"

"I don't think he could have a better home."

Nosedive leaned back in his seat and put his feet up on the dashboard. Then a thought struck him. "Hey, ya ever heard of miniature pigs?"

"Don't even think about it," said Wildwing.

"But they're so cute."

"If we can't keep a chicken, what makes you think we could keep a pig?"

"Okay, what about a unicorn? You can't say no to a unicorn."

"I swear, Dive, if you can find a unicorn, you can keep it."

"Cool. So what about a yeti?"

"No."

"A monkey?"

"No."

"A squirrel? A mouse? A cricket?"

"Oh, Nosedive..."


End file.
